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JOHNSONS 

FACT 
BO O K 



4?HORT CUTt2 

T.G.-K 



That Man Has Riches 

Who can do for himself rather 
than have others do for him; 

Who saves time in small things 
to have time for greater; 

Who can give advice rather than 
solicit it; 

Who adds to his store of knowl- 
edge as steadily as he adds to 
his bank account; 

Who can make his work a pleas- 
ure and his pleasure a profit ; 

Who learns to accomplish a little 
more for a little less; 

Who knows how to do the right 
thing at the right time in the 
right way. 



oh 



Johnsons Fact Book 

A Compilation of Labor- 
saving Short Cuts 



Practical Suggestions for 
Practical People 

REVISED EDITION 
Price 75 Cents 



PUBLISHED BY 

THE OSBORNE COMPANY 

NEWARK, NEW JERSEY 

THE OSBORNE COMPANY, Ltd. 

TORONTO, ONTARIO 



■51 



Copyright 1921, by T. C. Johnson 
All Rights Reserved 



3>CLA627730 
NOV 16 1921 



PREFACE 

Whatever you may do, there is a short way 
and a long way of doing it. This book con- 
tains 300 of the short ways. 

The suggestions are for practical solutions 
of the little problems of every-day life. They 
will save both time and money, and will add 
the interest of novel methods to the joy of ac- 
complishing necessary tasks. 

In preparing the book the author has taken 
care to save the reader time and trouble. The 
fewest words consistent with clearness have 
been used in every case. Illustrations make 
it doubly easy to understand the text. A com- 
plete index of the "short cuts" is printed in the 
back of the book. 

Johnson's Fact Book was designed as a 
''practical book for practical people/' and as 
such we hope it will meet with approval and 
appreciation. 

THE PUBLISHERS. 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



MAKING THEM PULL TOGETHER 




When a team will not pull together, the fol- 
lowing simple remedy will prove successful: 
Unhitch the inside traces and cross them, as 
shown in cut. 

HOME-MADE BAG HOLDER 

Take a nail keg and knock 
the bottom out; drive eight 
penny nails slanting upward 
from the inside and three 
inches from the bottom. 
Nail keg to a post or side of 
the barn like cut shown. 




TO BREAK A DOG OF BARKING AT NIGHT 

Hang a dinner or cow bell where the dog 
sleeps and have the string running to your own 
room and every time he starts barking pull 
the string. Try it and be convinced. 

4 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



TO CURE A SMOKING CHIMNEY 

A smoking chimney 
may be remedied by 
knocking out half a brick 
on each of its four sides, 
about one foot from the 
top. 




MEDICINE STAINS ON SILVER 

Medicine stains on silver spoons and silver- 
ware may be removed by rubbing with a rag 
dipped in sulphuric acid and washing with 
soapsuds. 



HOME-MADE FRUIT JAR OPENER 



Take a common leather 
strap with a buckle. Pull 
it tight on the cover and 
buckle the strap as shown 
in cut. 




T O H N S O N 



FACT 



BOOK 



EMERGENCY WRENCH 

When you find that 
I our wrench is too 
small to use, wire two 
wrenches together as 
per cut shown and 
you will overcome the 
trouble. 




EASY WAY TO PROTECT A CHECK 

Write the amount of the check on the signa- 
ture line in red ink, and sign your name in 
black ink over the red. 



SEWING BURLAP 




Grind a sharp point on a sardine can 
opener, and you will have a needle that will 
answer every purpose. 



J O H NSON'S FACT BOOK 

EASY WAY TO LAY OFF STRINGERS FOR 
BUILDING STEPS 




Place clamp on square, making width and 
depth desired as shown in cut. 



HANDY TOOL FOR PULLING SPIKES 




To overcome the danger of breaking handle 
of hammer while pulling spikes, bring into use 
a piece of old gas pipe 20 inches long and 
proceed as shown in cut. 

7 



JOHN S O N ' S F AC T BOOK 



HOME-MADE WIN- 
DOW LOCK 



A simple and effec- 
tive lock which is 
attached to the win- 
dow sash by means 
of a screw. 



s~ 





■*f 






1 





HOME-MADE WRENCH FOR TURNING 
A PIPE 




If you haven ? t a pipe wrench handy, take 
two old files and an ordinary washer, as per 
cut shown. 



iv V- 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 

TO MEND AN UMBRELLA 

An umbrella 
with a steel rod 
that is loose ii 
the handle may 
be mended by 
filling the hole 
in the handle with powdered rosin and 
inserting into it the end of the rod heated 
sufficiently to melt the rosin. It will stay as 
well as if mended by an expert, who would 
mend it the same way. 




MAKING COFFEE 

Add a pinch of common table salt, as it will 
improve it greatly. 

HOME-MADE CAN OPENER 

We all know how 
difficult it is at times 
to remove a tight fit- 
ting cover on a lard 
can. Try this. Place 
a heavy cord around 
the can just below 
the cover, placing nail as shown in cut, and 
twist and your cover will come ofif easily. 

9 ■ 




JOHNSON'S FACT 



BOOK 



AID IN THREADING NEEDLE 

By using a piece of 
white paper as a back- 
ground, a sewing machine 
needle may be sometimes 
much more easily threaded. 
Try it. 




TO HEM NEW TABLE LINEN 

Stiff new table linen may be easily hemmed 
by rubbing the upper edge with soap before 
sewing it on the machine. The soap softens 
the material, at the same time lubricating the 
machine needle. 



HOME-MADE TOWEL ROLLER 




Take a couple of old clothes hooks as shown 
in cut and screw them in the wall. Cut all 
old broom to length desired, and drive six 
penny nail in the ends and cut the heads off. 
Easy to make and very durable. 



10 



IOHNSO N 



F A C T 



BOOK 



TO PREVENT TAKING OF POISON OUT OF 
AN UNLABELED BOTTLE 

Take a piece of ribbon 
or cloth and stick five or 
six eight-ounce tacks 
through same; then tie on 
neck of bottle, leaving the 
points sticking outwards 
as shown in cut. 




TEAR BETTER OVER A TELEPHONE 




Place hand over transmitter while listening; 
by so doing you will overcome any local noise 
and will be able to hear much better what is 
being said. 

11 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 

TO SOFTEN THE TONE OF A TALKING 
MACHINE 

Use a common old 
clothes pin on the set 
screw as shown in cut. 
Try it and note the 
difference. 





KEEPING CANDLE 
STICK CLEAN 

Easy way to keep your 
candle stick clean is to 
cut a washer made from 
mica, or tin, to fit around 
base of candle to catch 
the tallow as it falls. 



TO REMOVE MOLD OR MILDEW FROM 
WALLS 

Dissolve in a bucketful of hot water, one 
-pound of chloride of lime. Apply with a 
whitewash brush. 



12 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



•4 V 



HOME-MADE FLY TRAP 

Fill glass two-thirds full 
of strong soap suds, with as 
much froth as possible. Take 
a piece of pasteboard large 
enough to cover the glass 
and punch four holes in cen- 
ter of board. Spread mo- 
lasses on under side of paste- 
board as per cut shown. 

HOW TO SEW THIN FABRICS 

If a paper is laid upon the machine and 
the stitching done through the goods and 
through the paper the work will be perfect. 
The machine needle will cut the paper so it 
will be the work of but a moment to remove it. 





POURING OIL OUT OF A CAN 

By pouring out of the 
top as shown in cut, you 
will find that it w T ill flow 
freely, eliminating the 
necessity of having two 
holes in can. Try this and 
note the improvement over 
the old way. 

13 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



STRAPS ON MATTRESS 
Makes it much 
easier to handle. 
Sew one on each 
of the four corners. 
Make straps of 
heavy ducking. 

WHEN BUYING LAMP CHIMNEYS 

Very few people know it but there is a big 
difference in them. You will find that a third 
more light can be obtained if care is taken 
when buying. Best way is to take home 3 or 
4 and try them out. 




TO REPAIR HOT WATER BAGS 

Don't throw away your 
old hot w 7 ater bags, as they 
can be easily made almost 
new, by using several coats 
of liquid court plaster, 
letting each coat dry before 
putting on the next one. 




14 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



HOME-MADE CRUTCHES 



Use an old worn 
out broom as shown 
in cut; pad and cover 
same. Easy to make, 
is cheap and durable. 




REFLECTORS FOR DARK ROOMS 




Swing mirror on outside of window as 
shown in cut, and note the difference in the 
light of the room. 



15 



JOHNSON'S FACT 



HOME-MADE MEDICINE DROPPER 







fl 



y 



Make two V shaped grooves in the stopper 
as shown in cut. Size of grooves will depend 
on the character of the liquid in the bottle. 



CHEAP HEN NESTS 




Wire nail kegs 
to wall as shown 
in cut, with num- 
ber eight wire and 
a few staples. 
■ — ^Bend wire around 
^S^/ staple so the nest 
■pnJHi can be taken down 
= vW and cleaned when 
— necessarv. T h e 
holes sawed in the 



side are to aid in removing hens. 

16 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



HOME-MADE SHOE SCRAPE 

Take an old worn-out 
broom and cut out the 
straw as shown in cut. 
Nail on step and you 
will have a very prac- 
tical shoe scrape. 







STRETCHING WIRE NETTING 




To stretch wire uniformly tight, take a 2x4, 
4 to 6 feet long, drive 16-penny nails through 
at a space of every six inches. Place the 2x4 
on the wire and stand on same as shown in cut 



!7 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



TO PREVENT 

SCREW FROM 
WORKING LOOSE 

Drive a small 
staple over the head, 
fitting mto the slot 
as shown in cut. 




SPOOL STOPPER FOR GLUE BOTTLE 

By cutting an ordinary thread spool in half 
you will have a stopper that will answer every 
purpose. Allow brush to pass through the 
hole in the spool. 



HOME-MADE SHELF 







Don't discard the old buckets, as you can 
use the lugs of same to a good advantage when 
building your shelves in the kitchen. 

18 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



TO KEEP PLOW POINT OUT OF GROUND 

When going from 
one field to another, 
if you will take the 

toe of an old shoe ^<^K ~ _ \ 

and place same over 
the plowpoint as shown in cut, it will elimi 
nate a great deal of worry. 





GOOD LOCK FOR 
DRAWERS 

Use strap hinges. 
Bend pieces of iron as 
shown in cut. 



SPREADING BUTTER ON SANDWICHES 

No need of heating the butter. Heat the 
knife by placing same in boiling water. You 
will find it less trouble. 



19 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



ADVANTAGE OF MIXING SALT IN MORTAR 
WHEN BUILDING A NEW CHIMNEY 




In building a chimney, put a quantity of salt 
into the mortar with which the inner courses 
of brick are laid. The effect will be that 
there will never be any accumulation of soot 
in that chimney. The philosophy is thus 
stated: The salt in the portion of mortar 
which is exposed absorbs moisture every damp 
day. The soot, thus becoming damp, falls 
down into the fireplace. 

20 



JOHNSON 



FACT 



BOOK 



HOME-MADE HOOK FOR PULLING STRAW 
OUT OF HAY STACK 




Take a piece of one-half inch round iron, 
six or seven feet long and make loop for 
handle at one end. Make fish hook point at 
the other end and you will have a tool that 
will not only last you a life time, hut one that 
will pay for itself many times. 



SELF-CLOSING GATE 



^WmK 1 . & 




A gate that will close itself can be made by 
making the bottom board project past the 
post and a stout spiral spring nailed to stake 
as shown in cut. 



21 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 




EASY WAY TO DRENCH STOCK 

Take a piece of rubber 
hose 12 inches long and 
stretch over neck of bottle 
as shown in cut. You will 
find it to be an easy as well 
as safe way to drench stock. 

TO KEEP SOW FROM EATING PIGS 

Take a rag and saturate it with kerosene. 
Rub the little pigs with this. The smell of 
the kerosene keeps the sow from eating the 
pigs. 

A. HOME-MADE LEATHER PUNCH 



C§^ 



§ 





Can be easily made with a rifle cartridge 
shell, using the size shell desired. Holes cut 
in the side of the shell enable you to empty 
the shell of the leather without any trouble. 

22 



J O H N S O N ' S FACT BOO K 
HOME-MADE TRUCK FOR SWILL BARREL 




Use plow handles attached to any old dis- 
carded wheel, placing barrel between the 
handles as shown in cut. 



AN IMPROVED SPADE 




Take a couple of old mower blades, heat 
and bend at right angle, rivet on the spade as 
shown in cut. You will find that it will make 
a clean cut on both sides. 



23 



J O H N S O N ' S FACT BOOK 



GRAZING 



Place ring 
on rope and 
tie to halter 
as shown in 
cut. 




A CHEAP PAINT 

Take a gallon of skim-milk and add Port- 
land cement in right consistency to spread 
well; same will make a drab color and will 
last for many years. 



HOME-MADE HOG TROUGH 

Cut shows how 
simple a sensible 
hog trough can be 
made. Any child 
eight or nine years 
old can slop or 
water the hogs as 
easily as can anv 
grown person. 

24 




JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



HOME-MADE STOP FOR GATE OR 
BARN DOOR 

Fasten any old hinge to 
lower part of the door or 
gate, and when not in use 
turn back against the door 
or gate. You will find that 
it will hold it partly open 
and secure. 




EASY WAY TO LOAD HOGS 




Make a chute ten feet long out of heavy 
timber, and the width of your wagon and 
drive your hogs in. It will save you time and 
money. : v: : 

25 



JOHNSON'S FA-C T BOO K 



A HOME-MADE LEVEL 

Paste a piece of paper oblong length on the 
outside of an 8 or 10 oz. bottle. Partly fill 
bottle and you will have a very good spirit 
level. 







^ 



EMERGENCY BUTTON HOLE FOR WORN- 
OUT COLLAR 







Punch hole in a small piece of cardboard 
and slip under band of collar, and use as 
shown in cut. 



26 



J O H N SON'S FACT 



BOOK 



REPAIRING FENCE POST 

When fence post has rot- 
ted off at the ground, take 
two pieces, one by three, and 
drive into ground and nail 
on opposite sides, as shown 
in cut. 



HOME-MADE STUMP PULLER 





Get- a hard piece of timber, six by six inches 
and eighteen to twenty feet long, bevel down 
to three inches at one end and screw an iron 
plate on as shown in cut. Dig hole under the 
root of the stump and pry out. If your stumps 
are small, two men can do more in a day than 
three can with a machine. Try it and be con- 
vinced. 



27 



JOHNSON' S FACT BOOK 



TO RAISE BODY OF A DROWNED PERSON 



-. r*^Jy& 



5^5^r 







The following scientific method was re- 
cently used successfully in Oklahoma. Pro- 
curing a quantity of unslacked lime and some 
gallon glass jars, the German who had under- 
taken the job was rowed out to a spot near 
where the body went down. One of the jars 
was filled about half full of the lime, then 
filled with water, tightly corked and dropped 
into the water. It soon exploded. After the 
third trial, each in a different place, the body 
came to the surface. 



RUST FROM STEEL 

Take half ounce of emery powder mixed 
with one ounce of soap and rub well. 

28 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



TO MOVE AN AUTO OR HEAVY TRUCK 
OUT OF MUD 




Cut notches in one end of plank to prevent 
rope slipping and tie rope to spoke, placing 
board as shown in cut. 




HOME-MADE SHOWER 
BATH 

Buy a gasoline oil can 
from any hardware store 
and solder sprayer from 
an old sprinkling can on 
the faucet. By hanging 
on a small pulley you 
can lower and fill can 
without any trouble. If 
properly taken care of, 
will last a lifetime. 



29 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



HOME-MADE SHOE SCRAPER 

Bend an old piece of 
hoop iron and nail to 
bottom step. It is easy 
to make and will help 
keep the house clean. 





HOMEMADE DOOR STOP 

Take a piece of common 
hoop iron and bend as 
shown in cut. 

sLJ ■ 



EASY WAY TO PLACE DRIP PAN UNDER 
REFRIGERATOR 




Nail two small strips under refrigerator in 
a V shape as shown in cut, and drip pan will 
always be in the right place. 

30 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 




HOME-MADE BUSHEL MEASURE 

Take a lime or cement 
barrel, measure i 2 H 
inches up from the bot- 
tom and saw off. Place 
one hoop at top on out- 
side and one in inside. Nail with iV* inch nails 
and clinch. Place another hoop zV* inches 
from top down on outside and clinch. Cut 
two holes, one on each side, for hand holds. 
Now you have a measure that will hold one 
bushel of potatoes level full. 



CASTRATING A LARGE BOAR 

Use a large barrel, about 
the size of the hog. Put 
corn in and induce the hog 
to go in after the feed. 
When he is in let two stout 
men lift the barrel on end. 
The hog may then be 
handled with perfect safety and with less 
worry to man and beast This plan has been 
tried and is recommended. 




31 



J Q H N SO N ' S F A C T B O O K 



HOMEMADE GATE ON WHEELS 




Make like the cut shown and it will last you 
a lifetime. Easy to make and costs very little. 



HOME-MADE STUMP PULLER 




Take a strong chain (a log chain will do) 

.make a loop at one end, pass the chain around 

, the stump and draw the other end of the chain 

: through the loop, and fasten it near the end 

of a strong pole 2x4, 13 feet long, and hitch 

~, the team to the other end and bring them 

. around in a circle. If the stump is very fast, 

dig the earth away from it. 

32 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 
TO REMOVE A LARGE ROCK 




Dig a small ditch around same and partly 
under the stone, then build a big fire on it. 
When thoroughly hot throw 4 or 5 buckets of 
cold water over it. This is safer and less ex- 
pensive than blasting it out. 



HINGE TO MAKE DOOR CLOSE ITSELF 

Bend the lower 
strap hinge a quarter 
to a half inch, the 
amount depending on 
the size of the hinge. 

33 




JOHN SON ' S FACT B O O K 
HOME-MADE BOSE HOLDER 




Use a piece of one by six, two feet long; 
attach another piece six or s^v.en inches long 
at the end of the board at an angle of 45 de- 
grees as shown in cut. You will find that it 
will make a very wide spray. 



HOME-MADE FEED BAG 




Use an old grain sack, with small piece of 
rope running through the halter or bridle and 
back to check rein hook like cut shown. 



34 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



HOME-MADE BOAT 




Cut a square hole 24 inches in a syrup bar- 
rel. Make frame of two boards, one by 12, 
10 feet long, with cross pieces as shown in 
cut. Nail barrel to frame. 



HOME-MADE VISE 




Screw piece of wood to bench, placing 
washers under the screws as shown in cut. 



35 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



EVER-READY IRONING BOARD 




Hinge board 
to the inside of 
a closet or pan- 
try door. Out 
of the way and 
in place. 



TO REMOVE PAINT FROM WOOD 

Half a cup of washing soda dissolved in a 
pint of water makes a very strong lye that 
will remove paint or varnish with a little 
scrubbing. The cleaned surface should be 
very thoroughly rinsed and dried before being 
repainted or varnished, 

36 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



A SOAP SHAKE 

Use a baking powder 
can. Punch holes in the 
can with an ice pick or 
some other sharp pointed 
tool, and attach a large 
wire to the center, twist- 
ing the ends to form a handle. 




FOUNTAIN PEN MADE EASILY 




Use two pens, place one above the other as 
shown in cut. 



HOME-MADE POTATO BAKER 

Use number six 
galvanized wire and 
bend same in circu- 
lar shape as shown, 
turning points up 
one and one-half 
inches. 




37 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOO K 



TROUSER AND SKIRT HANGER 

Bend heavy 
wire as shown in 
cut. 




TO REPAIR LEAK IN A BUCKET 







Daub a little paint over the leak on the in- 
side and stick a small piece of cloth over it. 
After the paint is thoroughly dry, apply two 
more coats of paint, and you will have a 
bucket that will last for years. 



38 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



HOME-MADE RAKE 

Take a piece of two 
by three, 15 inches long, 
and bore holes with 
brace and small bit every 
two inches apart, using 
twenty penny nails. Nail small strip over top 
of rake to keep the nails from working loose 
and coming out. For handle use an old 
broom handle. 




CAMP FIRE COOKING 




Use an old piece of gas pipe about 36 inches 
long, and drive into the ground to support 
wire holders. Use No. 6 wire. 



39 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



IMITATION SEA BREEZE 




Place shallow pan containing a saturated 
solution of salt before your electric fan; with 
fan tilted so air blows into the water. 



SAFE WAY TO CARRY FISH HOOKS 




Take an empty shot gun shell and tit cork 
in the end as shown in cut. 

40 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 

ENVELOPE AND STAMP MOISTENER 

Cut a sponge to fit a small 
medicine bottle or vial as 
shown in cut. Fill with 
water and you will find 
that it will answer every 
purpose. 




TO REMOVE CORK FROM BOTTLE CON- 
TAINING CARBONATED DRINKS 

Make pad by folding 
towel eight times. Place 
the pad on the table and 
strike bottle with re- 
peated blows as shown 
in cut. 




FOR MOSQUITO BITES 

Moisten a piece of common toilet soap and 
rub it over the spot. You will find the irrita- 
tion will have disappeared in a very few 
minutes. 



41 




JOHNSON' S FACT BOOK 

SIMPLE PROTECTION FOR SILLS FROM 

ROT 

Any sills that are ex- 
posed to dampness can Y 
be covered with asphalt ^ 
rbofiyog and same will 
prevent the sill from decaying. 

LEAKS AROUND CHIMNEYS 

Leaks around chimneys may be stopped 
with a paste made of tar mixed with road 
dust. It should be applied to the shingles, 
where they join the chimney, so as to form 
a collar, throwing the water well onto the 

shingles. — 

AN AUGER STOP 




I 



Stop is made of a piece of common pipe, 
that slips over the bit as shown in cut. It is a 
good idea to have on hand some six or eight 
different lengths of pipe so as to be able at all 
times to bore hole any desired depth. You 
can never bore a hole too deep when using 
this stop. 

42 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



TO PREVENT INK FROM CORRODING 
PEN POINTS 



Place broken pen points in 
the well. Same will destroy 
all acids and overcome the 
trouble. 



fffife\ 




TO REMOVE ROAD TAR FROM AUTOS 

One part alcohol, three parts fusel oil and 
four parts of benzol applied with a piece of 
cotton waste, will take road tar off, however, 
use only a small quantity and wipe off in 5 or 
6 minutes so as not to hurt the paint. 



GOOD TYPEWRITER DESK 




Use an old 
discarded wash- 
stand, sawing 
out the drawers 
as shown in cut. 
Easy to make 
and saves the 
cost of buying a 
new one* 



43 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 

————————— ■— —^— — — — ^ — ^ — — — ^— ^1^^^^— 

HOME-MADE HOSE NOZZLE 




An easy spray can be made by bringing into 
use a piece of triangular shaped, galvanized 
wire netting as shown in cut. 



TO MAKE WHITEWASH STICK 

And at the same time to prevent it from 
cracking, add two and one-half ounces of pure 
sodium chloride to every gallon. Be sure and 
get the pure sodium chloride or else it will 
not come out a clear white. 



HOME-MADE CARPET BEATER 






Here is one of the best carpet beaters one 
can possibly use; it is easy to make and will 
last for years. Take an old broom handle 
about 12 to 14 inches long and trim handle 
down to fit the hose, and then tack it in place 
to prevent slipping out. Use any old piece of 
hose 18 to 20 inches long. 

44 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



SHADE FOR AN ELECTRIC LIGHT GLOBE 

Place a piece of 
tin foil on one-half 
of the globe as 
shown in cut. An- 
swers every pur- 
pose and costs nothing, as you can get the foil 
at any grocery store for the asking. 





HOME-MADE BUTTONHOLE CUTTER 

Take a piece 

<^ ^ t j? of wood the 

width you want 

button holes 

made, lay the 

cloth over it, 

and cut with sharp knife. You will find that it 

will cut the cloth neater than with a pair of 

scissors. : 

EASY WAY TO KEEP BUTTONS 
ON OVERALLS 

When the button tears out of 
the goods, simply bend wire as 
shown in cut on the back side 
and you will no longer be worried 
with the button coming out. 

45 





JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 

PRINTING MONOGRAMS ON FRUIT 

From an anonymous source 
we get the following very- 
simple method of doing a 
trick that to the uninitiated 
will seem to border on the 
marvelous: 

Monograms, initial letters, or other designs, can be 
printed on such fruit as apples, pears or peaches by the 
action of the sun, with very pretty effect of either a light 
or dark color. To do this, draw the monogram, letter or 
design on a piece of writing paper, and paste it with 
mucilage or glue upon the side of the fruit exposed to the 
sun just before the fruit begins to color. When the fruit 
is ripe, and the paper is removed, the design will appear 
in a lighter or different color to the rest of the fruit ; as, 
for instance, if the experiment is tried on a yellow-fleshed 
peach with a red cheek, the design will appear in gold, 
surrounded with red. 

If the opposite effect is intended, take a small oval or 
circular piece of paper, and cut out or pierce the letter or 
design in it, and paste on the fruit, which, when ripe, will 
have the design in high color on a yellow or on a light 
green ground of the shape of the piece of paper, and this 
again will be surrounded by the brighter color of the 
fruit. 

46 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



HOME-MADE BOTTLE OPENER 

Use knife and <y 
fork as shown in \(/( 
cut. Easy to han- 
dle and does the 
work. 




PAINT SPOTS FROM CLOTHING 

Saturate with equal parts turpentine and 
spirits of ammonia. 



HOME-MADE LEMON SQUEEZER 




Cut two boards into the shape of a paddle; 
have them 3 inches wide, and one-half inch 
thick and 18 inches long. Bore two holes in 
one end as shown in cut and run wire through 
and twist the two ends together. This 
squeezer can be used for any kind of fruit. 

47 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 

TO PREVENT BREAKING OF DISHES 
WHEN WASHING 

Cut a small piece of rubber 
hose and slip over the faucet. 




EASY WAY TO CLEAN A GUN 

Wipe out your gun with a rag that is soaked 
with mercurial ointment. It will not only 
prevent the rusting of same, but will loosen 
whatever lead there may be in the barrels. 



HOME-MADE RACK FOR TOOLS 




Saw six inches into a i by 12 board, making 
a slot as shown in cut; slots to be every six 
to eight inches apart. 

43 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 
TIGHTENING A CURTAIN POLE 




asjammm n 



Use a common table fork as shown in cut. 



KITCHEN CONVENIENCE 





i i 


■ 




i 
i 


i : 




i — — ..-.-._-.. • 


V 


! i 




Make a four-ply pad of 
white canton flannel, and 
cut a slit to accommodate 
the hand as shown in cut. 



49 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



A HOME-MADE BROOM HOLDER 



Bend a piece of number 
eight or ten wire as shown 
in cut and tack on wall or 
door. 




REMOVING GREASE FROM PAINT 

A good and cheaply applied method is to 
rub the painted surface with a paste of ordi- 
nary whiting. This is allowed to dry and when 
it is rubbed off with a cloth the dirt and grease 
is taken away with it. Whiting is cheap and 
can be purchased at any drug store. 



TO FIT LARGE CORK IN BOTTLE 

If you have not a cork small 
enough to fit the bottle, a very 
good substitute can be made in 
the following manner; slit with 
pocket knife as shown in cut. 

50 




JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 
HANDY PIN CUSHION 




Sew piece of elastic to a small pin cushion 
to fit the wrist as shown in cut. 



EASY WAY TO REMOVE SPLINTERS 




Take a common steel pen point and press 
it down on the flesh about one-third of an 
inch away from the splinter, then push it on 
over and catch the splinter between the points 
as shown in cut. 



51 



J OH M.:SO,;N'S FACT BOOK 



HOME-MADE SWING MADE OF COMMON 
CHAIR 



Use one half inch rope 
and tie as shown in cut. 
Makes a nice porch or 
lawn swing. 




FRESH TOMATOES THE YEAR 'ROUND 

Freshly gathered tomatoes, packed in dry 
salt, in an earthen jar, it is said, will keep 
almost indefinitely. 



HOME-MADE BURGLAR-PROOF LOCK 

To prevent a burglar 
from turning the key with 
his plyers, bend a heavy 
piece of metal in the 
shape of a hair pin like the 
cut shown. 

52 




JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



PLANTING EARLY SEEDS 

Plant in egg shells 
filled with dirt, 
when seeds are up, \^k 
replant egg shells V 
in the ground with- ',=£- 
out disturbing the roots. 




PRETTY SETTEE FOR A LAWN 




Use an old discarded wood or iron settee, 
and allow hedge to grow through it, trim from 
time to time, and it will only be a matter of 
a season or two before you will have some- 
thing that is very useful as well as ornamental. 

53 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



TO KEEP CORK OUT OF THE WAY 



When you push the cork 
down into the medicine by 
mistake, use an old hairpin 
as shown in cut and notice 
how easily the contents will 
pour out after that. 




EASY WAY TO LOWER WINDOW 

Cut an old mop stick 
the length of sash; fasten 
stick to top sash with a 
small staple, using small 
screw eye in end of stick. 




A SPLENDID REMEDY FOR HORSE COLIC 

Aromatic spirits of ammonia, Vi oz; lauda- 
num, 1/20Z; mix with one pint of water. If 
not relieved in one hour's time repeat the dose. 

54 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



IRON REST 



Drive small 
flat-headed nails 
in the board. 




A SLEEPING BAG 




Double an ordinary blanket and pin up one 
side and the bottom with large horse blanket 
pins. 

55 




JOHNSON'S FACT BOOT 

FOR NEIGHBOR'S HENS 

Take some ]/. 

kernels of corn. S^ Jjfil 
With a darn-// C ' 

ing needle]^ dp' j£ 
bore a hole in^\^ 
each of them, ^ 

tie a string 
about 12 inches long to them. On the other 
end tie a common shipping tag, on which is 
written: "We are at neighbor Jones'; their 
chickens are locked up, but we had lots of fun 
scratching out the sweet corn and other nice 
seeds in his newly-made garden." Now throw 
this corn where the chickens will get it; they 
will swallow the corn, but not the tag. The 
owner of the poultry will see the tag, and read 
it. The novelty of the warning will, if any- 
thing, cause him to keep his poultry at home, 
and save you much annoyance. 



LINEN— MILDEW 

May be restored by soaping the spots while 
wet, covering them with fine chalk scraped 
to powder, and rubbing it well in. 

56 



JOHNSON 



FACT 



BOOK 






TO INSERT ROD IN CURTAINS 

Place tip of an 
old glove on the. 

end of the rod. You r/ ^ . a \i 

will find that this WB^fl 

will save you time 
and worry. 



•ttSj& 



HOMEMADE STAMP 

A very good substitute for 
a rubber stamp can be made 
in the following manner: 
First draw the letter or let- 
ters desired and paste same 
on the small end of a com- 
mon bottle cork and cut the letters out with 
a sharp knife as shown in cut. 




HOME-MADE TACK PULLER 

#5 



^ 



J 



Take a round headed bolt and file a V shape 
notch in it and screw the bolt into any old 
wooden handle, and you will not only have 
a very durable tack puller, but the best that 
is made. 



57 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOO 



WOOD SOLES FOR DAMP FLOORS 

Cut piece of board 
about the size of the 
shoes, tack straps on as 
is shown in cut. 




-^et 



TAKING CAPSULES 

Take a spoonful of thick milk or cream, put 
the capsule in center of it and cover with milk 
or cream. Then swallow it as though it were 
only milk. 

TO MEND A POT COVER 

Use empty spool, 
and start screw from 
under side of the cover 

up into the spool. 




TO KEEP CLOCK CLEAN 

Saturate a pad of cotton with kerosene and 
lay it inside on a small dish so as to prevent 
the woodwork from being saturated. The 
kerosene oil is an absorbent. 






58 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



m 

54 6" 



V 



BOTTLE INDICATOR FOR MEDICINE 

Paste a strip of paper around 
neck of bottle. Print numbers ^ 
from i to 12. If necessary to 
give the medicine on the half 
hour why place dot between. 
Stick pin in cork as shown in 
cut, and move around to the time when the 
next dose is to be given. Try it and be con- 
vinced. 

AN IMPROVED BREAD KNIFE 

Place the blade in a vise and notch same 
with file every one-fourth of an inch. You 
will find that such a knife will cut the bread 
better and much faster than the straight edge. 

CAKE PAN BOTTOM OF GLASS 

Cut the bottom of 
the pan out, leaving 
enough of an edge 
for the glass bottom 
to rest on. Cut glass 
to fit bottom. You 
will find it easy to 
keep clean and will 
enable one to examine the cake when baking. 

59 




JOHNSON'S FA C^T BOOK 



HOME-MADE POCKETS FOR SPOOLS 



Made out of any 
kind of heavy cloth, 
and with as many 
pockets for thread as 
may be desired. Easy 
to make and inexpen- 
sive. 




SECRET DRAWER 







. Can be built in a step in the stairs with very 
little trouble and at a very small cost. 

60 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 

REMOVING GREASE SPOTS FROM FLOOR 

Sprinkle unslaked lime on the. grease spots, 
cover with coarse brown paper and iron with 
a very hot iron. It is well to let the iron stand 
on the spots a few minutes. 



A HANDY POCKET TO HANG ON FOOT 
OF BED 





A useful receptacle for an invalid, to be 
made of demin, linen or any heavy material 
as shown in cut. 



61 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



HOME-MADE ANTI-RATTLER FOR 
WINDOW 

Break one prong of a 
common clothes pin. Easy 
thing to do and will over- 
come the trouble. 




A GOOD KITCHEN CHAIR 







Hinge arms on as shown in cut. Very lit- 
tle trouble to make, and the busy housewife 
will find it a great convenience. 

62 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



TO SEPARATE GLASSES WHEN STUCK 
TOGETHER 

Set glasses in a pan 
of warm water and 
pour cold water in the 
top glass. 



HOTWATE^ 

HOME-MADE FLOWER STAND 




jm*AW* 




Use four clothes 
hooks as shown in cut. 
Easy to make and in- 
expensive. 



EASY WAY TO CLEAN YOUR PIPE 

Why not clean your pipe by using the air 
at the garage when filling your tires. Will 
save you a lot of work and better still it is 
something that doesn't cost anything. 

63 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 
HOME-MADE HAMMOCK 




Take twenty-five or thirty old barrel staves 
and bore two half-inch holes in each end of 
the staves, running wire through as shown in 
cut. 



HOME-MADE BOOK RACK 






f 




\ 


«'-'— 


-"■ J 


'■"- 


— -T 



N?l 



Cut a piece of galvanized 
iron, or heavy tin, as shown in 
cut No. i. Bend the two 
pieces as per dotted lines. 
Size of iron to be 15x7. 



64 



JOHNSON'S 



FACT 



B O K 



COOD THING TO KNOW 



When you are hav- 
sand, 



ig trouble in 



:nng into execution a 
tout rope wound 
.round tires of rear 
vheels as shown in cut. 




SMELL OF PAINT— TO REMOVE 

To get rid of the smell of oil paint, place a 
andful of hay in a pailful of water and let it 
and in the room newly painted. 




PROTECTING TREES 

Take six sheets of old news- 
paper and tie with cord at 
foot of young trees as shown 
in cut. Do not use tar paper, 
as it will scald the bark. 



65 



JOHNSON'S FACT 



O O K 



BEST WAY TO PUT ON ROOFING 

Better wear and pro- 
tection is given by setting 
the roofing so that it has c^s 
an overhang at the edges 
of the roof instead of be- 
ing nailed solidly along 
the edges, which causes the «*** ~+y 

water to be thrown clear of the edge. 




HOME-MADE SHOE POLISHER 

Made from an old barrel 
hoop and a piece of flannel 
or felt. Easy to make and 
answers every purpose. 




EASY WAY TO FIT KEYS 

Hold the blank key over a candle until it is 
thoroughly blackened, then insert it in the 
lock carefully and turn until it strikes. Pull 
the key out and file away the parts where the 
soot was rubbed off by the wards. 



66 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 
GROWING GREEN STUFF FOR CHICKENS 




In back yards where chickens are con- 
fined, green food may be grown if protected 
by a frame covered with poultry netting. 
Size of frame eight feet wide and twelve to 
fourteen feet long. Plant any of the follow- 
ing: Wheat, oats, barley, rape, clover or 
alfalfa. 



HOME-MADE SHOE CLEANER 



Take three old 
brushes and nail them 
to step as shown in cut. 




67 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



SHOVEL WITH A SHOE GUARD 

Take a piece of old 
gas pipe and saw it 
open on one side, and 
by spreading it prop- 
erly and springing it 
onto the shovel blade 
you will find it will re- 
main in place. 




KITCHEN CHOPPING BOARD 

A very useful 
article for the 
kitchen and easily 
made, requiring a 
piece of hard 
wood, a pointed 
kitchen knife and 
a large staple. 

DANGEROUS MUSHROOMS 

Before cooking mushrooms, first sprinkle 
salt on the spongy part, or gills. If they turn 
yellow, beware as they are poisonous fungo. 



68 




JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



TO CLEAN COAT COLLARS 

Use spoonful of 
ammonia in which 
enough salt has been 
put to make it a 
mushy mixture. 
You will find that it 
will remove all discolorations 
poisonous if taken internally. 




This is very 




A GOOD FEED HOPPER 

Easy to make and in- 
expensive, and saves you 
both time and money. 



GOOD THING TO KNOW REGARDING MILK 

It is much safer to drink or use herd milk 

! than milk from a single cow. An explanation 

j is, that the tuberculosis germ does not survive 

! long when mixed w T ith a quantity of healthy 

milk. 



69 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



SELLING TO AUTOMOBILISTS 

The farmer can 
work up a very profit- 
able business with pass- 
ing motorists by erect- 
ing a signboard where 
two automobile high- 
ways cross. 




ECONOMICAL POULTRY FENCE 







Use the present fence you 
have and run a 24-inch 
wide poultry netting at top 
as shown in cut. Answers 
every purpose and means 
a saving of two-thirds in 
cost. 



70 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



£^ 



% 



I 



TO CONSERVE HEAT 

Use an old kitchen tank, and 
have the plumber to cut a hole 
the size of a stove pipe in one 
side of the top and a similar 
hole in the opposite side of the 
bottom. Set the boiler upstairs 
directly over the stove on the 
first floor. Run pipe through Z 
the floor and up through the 
boiler nearly to the top. Start 
your second pipe near the bot- 
tom (as the cut shows) and run 
clean on up to the chimney. 
Put in a damper above the top 

of the tank to control the draft. „ 

As a safeguard, use a burnt clay U — A ^ 
pipe crock around the pipe that 
runs through the floor, to protect yourself 
from fires. 




SCORCHED FOOD 

Will not be injured if the pan containing 
the food is set at once in a basin of cold water 
for a little while. 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



TO REMOVE SPLINTERS FROM HAND 

Fill a wide mouth bottle 
nearly full of hot water. 
Place injured part over the 
mouth and press it slightly. 
Action of the steam will ex- 
pose the splinter. 




TO PREVENT EGGS STICKING 

Eggs will not sink to the bottom of the pan 
and stick when poaching, if the pan or other 
vessel is greased before pouring in the water. 







TO MAKE HEALTHY HOGS 

Use the following 
mixture: One bushel of 
soft coal, one bushel of 
ashes, eight pounds of 
salt, four pounds of sul- 
phur, four pounds of air-slacked lime and 
two pounds of copperas. All ingredients ex 
cept the copperas are mixed together. Dis- 
solve copperas in warm water and add to the i 
mixture. 

72 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



TO KEEP MILK AND BUTTER COOL 

All you need is a box 
and a jar or crock with a 
cover to it. Set the crock 
in the box and pack sand 
around it, and keep the 
sand moist at all times. 
You will find the milk and butter will keep 
better than in a refrigerator. 




gaaag 



zzszznszzsZ J 




TO CLEAN ALUMINUM WARE 

Dissolve 2 ounces of 
lump of ammonia in one 
quart of water; 2 ounces 
of salt of tartar in one 
quart of water and a 15 
cent can of potash in two 
quarts of boiling water. After all is dissolved 
mix as follows: First add the potash and am- 
monia together, then the salt of tartar and 
boil the whole mixture for forty minutes. Put 
a small quantity in the vessel to be cleaned on 
the stove and let it boil five minutes and then 
rinse out thoroughly. 

73 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



MAKING SHOE LACE TIPS 

Use fine wire and twist 
around the shoe string as 
shown in cut. 




TO EXTINGUISH A KEROSENE FIRE 

Never throw water on the flames of kero- 
sene, gasoline, benzine or other petroleum 
products. Use a quart or as much milk as you 
have handy. Milk forms an emulsion with 
the oil and will exterminate it immediately. 



CONVENIENT COAL BIN 

To prevent coal 
running out of a bin 
on the floor, make 
an opening in front 
as per cut shown. 




74 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



CRAMPS IN YOUR LEGS WHEN IN BED 

In order to overcome 
the trouble of getting 
out of bed on a cold night 
to relieve yourself of 
cramps in your legs, 
bend your toes back as 
far as possible as shown in cut. 




EASY WAY TO STRETCH SHOES 




Pack damped oats in the shoes, 
dry out before removing. 

75 



Leave oats 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



TO KEEP CREASE IN HAT 

Use a common paper 
clipper as shown in cut. 
Try it and note the differ- 
ence. 




BENDING SEWING NEEDLES 

Sometimes a needle is wanted for sewing 
shoes or harness. A straight needle may be 
bent by taking the temper out of it by heat- 
ing it in a gas or lamp flame. After it is bent 
into the shape desired, the temper may be 
restored by again heating and placing it 
while hot in a bath of water or oil. 






TO PREVENT PEANUTS FROM SCORCHING 

^= *- J th Spread one-half inch of 

sand on bottom of oven, 
putting peanuts on the 
sand. Not only roast bet- 
ter, but if stirred every now 
and then will never burn. 




76 



JOHNSON'S FACT B O O K 

TO PREVENT MOLD IN LIBRARY 

A few drops of lav- 
ender will save a library 
from mold ; a single drop 
will save a pint of ink. 




BIRD HOUSES 




Use flower pots, break holes in the bottom 
large enough to allow birds to enter. Take 
No. 6 wire and pull tight around the pots 
with a pair of pincers. Staple the wire to the 
bo^.rd as shown in cut. 



77 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



THREADING A DARNING 
NEEDLE 

Double the thread and 
pass through the eye and 
pull the yarn through as 
shown in cut. 




TO TEST WHITE LEAD 

Place a little on a stick and set the stick on 
fire. If it forms a white crust on the stick it 
is not pure lead and has a filler in it. When 
the lead is pure it will appear in small 
globules like shot. 




TO ADJUST DROP LIGHT 
TO HEIGHT DESIRED 

Saw slits from opposite 
sides just large enough to 
admit wire. This will en- 
able you to raise or lower 
the light to any length de- 
sired. 



78 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



HOME-MADE POWDER LICE REMEDY 

One of the cheapest 
lice powders for poultry 
is made by mixing three 
parts of gasoline and 
one part crude carbolic 
acid with as much plaster 
Paris as the liquid will 
moisten. Allow the powder to dry before 
using. The powder is inflammable and must 
be kept away from fire. 




TO PREVENT HORSES GNAWING ON 
STALLS 

Melt up some tal- 
low and apply with 
rag on place where 
they have been gnaw- 
ing. Do this every 
evening for a week's 
time, and you will 
break them of the 
habit. 




79 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 

TO MEND LEAD PIPE WITH CEMENT 

Place about two-thirds 
of a cup of cement on a 
cloth and tie it around 
the pipe. The leak will 
dampen the cement and 
will close up the leak. 
Remove the piece of cloth after cement sets. 




CLEANING A STRAW HAT 

Apply corn meal that has been made slight- 
ly damp and with a medium' stiff nail brush 
rub the meal in well. Change the meal as 
fast as it becomes soiled. Brush off the meal 
while still damp and dry hat in the sun. 



IMPROVEMENT ON DOUBLETREES 



■ 




To avoid sudden shocks that will come 
when wagon is heavily loaded and on rough 
roads, if you will bring into use a common 
old buggy spring and bolt same to doubletree, 
as shown in cut, it will save your team from 
sore shoulders. 



80 



JOHNSON'S FA C T U () () K 



GOOD FISH SCALER 

In your hurry to 
get away, if you dis- 
cover afterwards that 
the handy curry comb 
has been left behind, 
why utilize a few Coca-Cola bottle caps tacked 
on a block of wood three or four inches wide. 
Easy to make and does the work. 




NAILS IN HARD TIMBER 

To prevent nails from bending when being 
driven into hard timber, pour hot tallow over 
them, and when they cool you can drive them 
into the hardest of posts. 




TO GET BUCKET OUT OF 
WELL 

Tie claw hammer to 
rope, which gives you a 
good grab hook and you 
will encounter very little 
trouble in fishing the bucket 
out. 



81 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



HOME-MADE CHIMNEY CLEANER 



wxrimmrnimi 




You can make a very satisfactory lamp 
chimney cleaner out of number eight wire, 
twenty-four inches long, by bending it as 
shown in cut. 



CURING HORSES FROM INTERFERING 

Have the inside calk of the shoe larger than 
the outside and pare the outside of the foot 
lower. This will cause the pastern joint to be 
thrown out and prevent the other foot from 
striking. 



EASY WAY TO BREAK KINDLING 

Make post station- 
ary and saw a notch 
about 10 inches deep, 
tapering two and one- 
half inches on the out- 
side to inch at the bot- 
tom as is shown in cut. 

82 




JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 

TO KEEP BIRDS OUT OF GARDEN 

Hang up a mirror 
on a line and the re- 
flection when it 
swings around will 
run the birds off. 




CURE FOR COLIC IN HORSES 

Put into a long-necked bottle a pint of warm 
milk, into which has been dissolved three 
heaping teaspoonfuls of cooking soda. Drench 
the horse with this. Repeat in about ten min- 
utes if necessary. This is said to be a very 
effective remedy. 



TO CURE NEURALGIA 

Take the 
white of an egg 
and spread it 
on a piece of 
soft cotton cloth, 
sprinkle pure 
ground black pepper over it until it is almost 
black, then bind it to the affected parts. When 
the trouble is in the head, bind it on the temple. 

83 




JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



STEPPING STONES TO THE BARN 

Make mold out 
of box r fill same with 
mixture of cement 
and sand and when 
cement becomes 
hard, set stones level 
with the ground 
eighteen inches apart. You will find they will 
last for years. 




CORNERS FOR CHEST 




Any chest that is heavy and much handled 
can be strengthened by reinforcing the cor- 
ners with common strap hinges as shown in 
cut. 



84 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



WEIGHT FOR HOLDING TEAM OF HORSES 

A good weight can be made 
by filling an empty lard bucket 
with cement, and at the same 
time sticking into the cement 
when wet a common old horse- 
shoe. When the cement sets it 
will be impossible to pull the horseshoe out. 




TEMPERING LAMP CHIMNEYS 

If lamp chimneys are put in cold water and 
the vessel containing them is placed over a 
fire and the water brought to a boil, the glass 
in the chimneys will be tempered so that they 
are much less liable to break. 



TO LUBRICATE A DOOR LOCK 

Scrape off a quan- 
tity of lead from 
some lead pen- 
cils, and blow into 
the lock through 
keyhole. 



85 




JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



EASY WAY TO KEEP SAW FROM FALLING 
WHEN STANDING ON END 

File two small teeth as shown 
in cut. The blade should 
be filed off square at the end and 
at right angles to a line on the 
center of gravity. The teeth 
are then formed by filing away 
sufficient metal on the blade. 
Saw fixed in this way will stand 
in almost any place or position. 




SANITARY FOUNT 







Turn faucet upside down with a wrench. 

86 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 

TO ELIMINATE VIBRATION 

In order to over- 
come the vibration of 
the metal horn when 
playing a phonograph, 
buckle a shawl strap 
around the center of 
the horn as shown in 
cut. 




TO KEEP WAGON TIRES TIGHT 

Soak the rims in boiling coal tar. Allow 
them to become thoroughly saturated. After 
soaking the felloes thus, paint the whole 
wheel with hot tar. 



HOME-MADE MOUSE TRAP 




Use piece of an 
old bicycle tire 
and a glass fruit 
jar. Stick one end 
of the tire into the 
mouse hole. No 
need of using bait 
in jars. 



37 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



HOME-MADE BAROMETER 

Put into a clean white glass 
bottle a small quantity of pul- 
verized alum and fill the bottle 
with alcohol. In clear weather 
the liquid will be perfectly clear, 
but on the approach of rain the 
alum will be visible at the bot- 
tom of the bottle in a spiral, 
cloudy form, gradually clouding the whole 
bottle. 




GOOD SADDLE 




Use a pair of old 
stirrups and a wide 
strap, with a narrow 
strap for the belly- 
band. 



88 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



PREVENTS GLUE BOTTLE STOPPER FROM 
STICKING 

When a bottle of glue 
has been opened, rub fat 
of some kind, such as cold 
cream or lard on the 
stopper before inserting 
it back in the bottle, then 
the cork will not be glued 
to the bottle. The fat excludes the air. 




CUTTING LOAF BREAD 

Cut through the center, then cut slices from 
the center toward the ends. The two cut sur- 
faces can be placed together, excluding the 
air and keeps the bread fresh. 



HEATING WATER FOR SCALDING HOGS 

Use a molasses barrel; 
bore two i-inch holes. 
One hole inch and half 
from the bottom, the 
other nine inches above 
it on a line. Have the 
pipe projecting out five 
feet, using elbows and 
unions as shown in cut. 




8<> 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



EASY WAY TO CUT BOTTLE IN HALF 

Wet two pieces of paper 
and wrap them about the 
bottle, allowing a space be- 
tween as shown in cut. 
Nick the glass carefully 
with a file and use hot flame 
on the space between the 
two pieces of paper. 




TO MAKE POWERFUL SCREWDRIVER 



Heat and bend a long- 



shank screw r driver, as you 
will soon discover it is in- 
dispensable when forcing 
home a very tight screw. 







90 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



PAPER FUNNEL 

Bottles having small 
necks are hard to fill with- 
out spilling the liquid. 
Here is a simple funnel 
made out of a small piece 
of writing paper. 




MAKING BOILED WATER MORE 
PALATABLE 

To overcome the flat taste of boiled water, 
pour w T ater rapidly from one pitcher to the 
other, holding pitchers some distance apart. 
Aerates the water and restores its natural 
flavor. Try it and be convinced. 



<jr=D 




HOME-MADE 
CLOTHESPIN 

Take a common piece 
of number eight galvan- 
ized wire and bend it 
around a broom handle, 
as per cut. 



91 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 

TO PREVENT MOLD IN SAFES 

Place a small lump of cam- 
phor in the safe, the accumula- 
tion of mold upon money, 
papers and books will be pre- 
vented. 




TO DRIVE A COW 

An unruly cow may sometimes be more 
easily driven if a short piece of chain is tied 
to one of her front legs. When she attempts 
to run the chain thrashes the other legs. She 
soon discovers the reason and walks. 



PLANTS THAT PREVENT MALARIA 

The atmosphere in damp 
residential districts may be 
greatly improved if the laurel 
and sunflower are grown. It 
is claimed that the laurel 
gives off an abundance of 
ozone and sunflower destroys 
the malarial condition of the 
atmosphere. 

92 




JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



KEEP SHOE STRINGS TIED 

Punch hole in the tongue and 
tie the bow as shown in cut. 




A HOUSEHOLD SALVE 

A good salve for family use is made by 
melting together equal parts of beeswax, tal- 
low, rosin and camphor gum. 

TO HOLD CATTLE WHEN DEHORNING 

Use a lock gate 
for holding. Drive 
animal to the gate 
and just as he passes 
his head in, pull the 
rope against his neck. 
Have gate made of 
strong timber. 




WHEN SELECTING A BROOM 

Remember to select one of light green color 
and of fine straw. See that there isn't any 
stalk or stalks below the threads, and be sure 
to shake the broom to prevent getting one that 
has loose straw. The life of a defective broom 
is very short. 

93 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



EASY WAY TO DRAW STAPLES 

You can draw a staple 
without bending it out 
of shape by using nail as 
shown in cut. 




TO REMOVE CAKE FROM A PAN 

Set the pan, while very hot, immediately 
on taking it from the oven, on a damp cloth, 
and allow it to stand for a few minutes. It 
will then leave the pan without sticking to 
its sides. 



HOME-MADE GARDEN TOOL 

— } 




An o 1 d bicycle 
frame can easily be 
made into a hand 
plow as shown in 
cut. 



94 



>*^; 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 

TO FLAVOR A WATERMELON 

First thread a 
needle with cotton 
thread and run the 
needle through the 
stem that runs 
from the melon to the vine. Use any flavor 
of extract you wish, having the cotton thread 
to run down through the cork of the bottle. 
Cut a V in the cork so as to enable the extract 
to pass out freely. 




EASY WAY TO CLEAN A GUN 

Wipe out your gun with a rag that is soak- 
ed with mercurial ointment. It will not only 
prevent the rusting of same, but will loosen 
whatever lead there may be in the barrels. 




the strips curl up 



TO FRY BACON 

By cutting t h e 
skin o n slices of 
bacon when frying 
you will overcome 
all trouble of having 
s thev do at times. 



JOHNSON'S 



FACT 



BOOK 



A GOOD RAT GUARD 

Make a few disks 
from the bottoms of 
o 1 d tomato cans, 
string them on the 
cord or wire upon 
which the articles 
are hung. Result is when Mr. Rat attempts 
to climb over the disks they will turn and 
throw him off. 




FOLDING TOMATO VINE ARBOR 

ft* 

Is made of laths 

and number eight wire 
and makes an ideal 
support for your to- 
matoes. After t h e 
season is over with, 
fold up and save un- 
til next season. 



96 




JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



PREVENT SCREWS FROM WORKING OUT 



On account of the jar 
in closing, screws in hinges 
on screen doors will work 
loose and invariably fall 
on the floor. A flat spring 
wire placed in the slots of 
the screw heads and 
soldered will overcome this 
trouble. 



a 



V 



HOMEMADE CRADLE FOR BABY 

Made out of 
a piece of one- 
quarter inch 
round iron and 
a clothes basket 
as shown in cut. 
A piece of mos- 
quito netting thrown over the rod will keep 
flies out of the cradle. 




97 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



NOISELESS COVER ON SLOP JAR 

To overcome the noise 
made when replacing the ( 
cover on a slop jar, take a 
piece of seven-eighths rub- 
ber tubing and split it open 
on one side, then slip it 
over the edge of the top as shown in cut 




TESTING FRUIT JARS 

Partly fill with warm water, sealing with 
rubber rings. Turn jar's upside down and 
place on a folded newspaper. If slightest leak, 
water will trickle out and be seen on the paper, 
thereby eliminating the use of defective rub- 
ber rings, uneven, or cracked jar tops. 

PREVENT STOCK FROM BEING KILLED 
BY LIGHTNING 

About every 
quarter of a mile 
run wires over the 
barbed wire and 
into the ground 
as shown in cut. 



9* 




JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



TESTING LEATHER BELTING 

Place a small strip 
in strong vinegar. The 
only change in a good 
piece of leather will 
be it will turn a bit 
darker. A poor grade of leather will quickly 
swell ; in fact, become a gelatinous mass. 




HOME-MADE NUT CRACKER 




Bore holes of vari- 
ous sizes about one- 
half inch deep into 
a block of wood as 
shown in cut 



99 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 

TO OPEN A POCKET KNIFE 

Grind a notch 
in the handle as 
shown in the cut, 
thereby overcoming 
any risk of breaking a finger nail. 




TO PREVENT WASTING OF FEED 




Make box five feet square, corner posts 
out of two by fours, five feet high, saw on the 
four sides as shown in cut. You will find it 
will prevent the cattle from wasting by tramp- 
ing the fodder under foot, and will save you 
many dollars in a year's time. 

100 



J OH NSON'S FACT BOOK 

HOME-MADE MOUSE TRAP 

Take a piece of 
cheese and put it in 
thimble, use a cup 
and balance it on 
thimble and when the mouse nibbles the cheese 
in the thimble, the cup will fall and make him 
a prisoner. 




HOME-MADE BROODER 




Cut an old sugar barrel half in two, line 
inside with paper or old flannel cloth; at bot- 
tom cut holes as shown in cut. Chicks can 
be kept perfectly warm by placing a stone 
jug of boiling water inside. Jug should be 
refilled with hot water twice per day. 

101 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



REMOVING OLD WALL PAPER 

A good way to do this 
is to make a solution of 
paste or flour in water 
and add a few ounces of 
baking soda and apply 
freely. You will discover 
in a few moments' time that the paper can be 
removed without any trouble. 




SEEDLESS WATERMELON 




Pile dirt over one of the runners as shown 
in cut and in due time the vine will take root 
under the pile of dirt; then clio the vine, 
thereby making a separate and distinct vine 
from the original vine. The first melon may 
not come seedless, but others will. 

102 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



HOME-MADE EGG SEPARATOR 

First bend wires like 
those at bottom of cut. 
Cut the can and bend the 
tin down. Punch holes 
to receive the wires 
through the back side of 
the can. Make holes so 
the wires will be four- 
sixteenths of an inch apart. 




EASY WAY TO POP CORN 

Drench 




the 






pop corn 1 n 
water before 
placing over the 



■ar »v* ^ re anc ^ ever y 

<iP c* '•* grain will pop. 



COOKING PEAS 

Discard the spoiled pods and after washing 
the rest throw them into a kettle of boiling 
water. When they are done the pods will 
rise to the top, while the peas will remain at 
the bottom of the kettle. You will find peas 
cooked in the pods have a very fine flavor due 
to the conserving of the aroma. 

rat 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOR 



HOME-MADE POST PULLER 



All you need is crow- 
bar, block of wood and 
pick, and drive pick in 
post as shown in cut. 




*wb* 



GOOD COAT HANGER 




When traveling on 
a train, hang on a 
lead pencil, placed 
over two or more of 
the bars in rack 
overhead as shown 
in cut. 



104 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



TO PREVENT TIRE PUNCTURES 

Attach a piece 
of flat chain to 
the front fork so 
that it will lay flat 
on the tire and you 
will find all small 
pieces of glass will 

be pulled off as soon as they come in contact 
with the chain. 




WINDOW LOCK 



Attached to ihe window 7 sash by means of 
a screw and is placed just far enough away 
from the window casing so that the edges of 
the outside circle will engage firmly against it, 
but will not allow the catch to pass the center. 

105 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



SCREEN DOOR SPRING 

Bend a piece of steel 
spring wire into the 
shape shown in cut, 
When more strength is 
desired use three or more 
on a door. 





RAISING DENTS IN WOOD 

Frequently when hammering on finely fin- 
ished wood, the hammer may glance and make 
a bad imprint; such imprint may be removed 
by pouring enough wood alcohol in the dent 
to cover it. Then light the alcohol and allow 
it to burn out. The heat will expand the spot 
and can be planed and made smooth. 



MENDING PAPER PULP BASKETS OR PANS 

These can be easily 
mended with adhesive 
tape, and three coats 
of paint will make the 
bucket almost as good 
as new. 

106 




JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 
PICKING SMALL FRUIT 



To pick figs or other 
small fruit, cut down a 
bamboo cane, split the top 
as shown in cut. 




HOME-MADE BROODER 

Use a box and 
hang inside an old 
feather duster s o 
that the tips of the 
feathers will almost 
touch the floor of the 
box. Box should 
not be over fourteen inches high. For ventila- 
tion, bore a few holes in the side of the box 
near the top. 

107 




JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



DRAWING WATER FROM A WELL 

While the full one is 
being raised the empty 
one is going down, result 
is nothing but the water 
is being lifted, as the 
two buckets counter- 
balance one another. 




PICKING UP SCISSORS OR NEEDLES 

To overcome the annoyance of picking up 
needles or scissors when sewing, attach a small 
magnet to a piece of ribbon. You will find it 
to be a great help to an invalid or elderly 

person. 

EASY WAY TO CLEAN SPARK PLUGS 
Nothing is better for cleaning spark plugs 
than common household ammonia. Partly 
fill a Mason fruit jar with the ammonia and 
after putting in the plugs screw the top down 
fast so as to prevent the fumes from escaping 
and allow the jar to sit overnight. No need of 
taking the plug apart. 

108 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



PREVENT BRIDLE SLIPPING 

To prevent horse slip- 
ping bridle, do away 
with band No. i and put 
in a new one, extending 
back to figure No. 3. 




TRAPPING BUMBLE BEES 

Take a one-gallon jug and fill half full of 
water, leaving out the cork; set near nest. 
Throw stones or clods of dirt at the nest till 
the bees come out around the jug, and see 
how quickly a whole colony will crawl into 
the jug and get drowned. Set the jug near 
entrance or door. 



HOME-MADE MOUSE TRAP 

Cut the top of an old to- 
mato can into fourths; bend 
the four ends inward, leav- 
ing a hole about five-eights 
of an inch in diameter in 
the center. Mouse can go 
in the can but can't get out. 




109 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



ONE-MAN SAW HANDLE 
Made from a forked 
branch of a tree, gives 
the workman better con- 
trol over the saw. One 
man can use it and do 
nearly as much work as 
with a helper. 




KILLING LICE ON ANIMALS 

Take equal parts of coal oil and lard. Mix 
and add a very small quantity of carbolic acid. 
Rub on the animal, not all over, but in spots. 
The vermin will leave. 



FINE COMB USED AS RULING PEN 

When you are minus 
a ruling pen, a fine- 
toothed comb will serve 
as a ruling pen. If you 
will bevel slightly the 
edges of the teeth that 
come in contact with 

the paper, it will give you straighter edges to 

the lines drawn. 




no 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



HOLDING LADDER ON ROOF 

Use any ordinary 
ladder and a board 
twelve to fourteen feet 
long on the other side. 
Be sure and nail two 
cleats near one end to 
provide a notch for a 
rung on the ladder. 




TO ATTRACT FISH AT NIGHT 

A simple affair to at- 
tract fish at night can be 
made by cutting a one- 
quarter-inch hole in the 
top of a pint fruit jar cover. 
Insert a piece of gas pipe 
in the hole and solder in 
to the cover. Run electric 
wires through the pipe. 
Get juice from pocket 
batterv. 




in 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



TO CONSERVE ICE 

As we all know, heat 
travels to the top. For 
that reason ice covering 
the entire bottom of ice 
box will last much longer 
than a block that projects high up in the box. 




TO EXPEL WORMS FROM HOGS 

Take one-fourth to one-half can of concen- 
trated lye to a barrel of soaked corn, shorts or 
slop. Your wormy, coughing stunted animals 
will soon make a wonderful change for the 
better. 



TURNING LEAVES OF BOOK 




In turning leaves of a book or running 
through a bunch of papers, use a few rubber 
bands around tips of fingers, as shown in cut. 



112 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



PREVENT KETTLE FROM BOILING OVER 

If the kettle in which 
syrup is being boiled is 
greased with lard two 
inches down from the top 
it will not boil over. 




SHEEP— TO PREVENT JUMPING FENCES 

Clip off the eyelashes of the under lids with 
a pair of scissors. The animal will not at- 
tempt a fence again until the eye-lashes are 
grown. 

FOR THE MILK MAN 



To always have the milk or 
bread ticket ready when the 
man comes, simply tack up on 
the side of the door or window 
an old worn out mouse trap. 




113 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



SAFE WAY TO SHIP BABY CHICKS 

The great loss in ship- 
ping chicks is due to a lack 
of ventilation. To over- 
come this, build a wooden 
frame around the box, 
which prevents crowding of other packages 
against it while in transit. Nail stick across 
the top to be used as a handle. 




REMOVING A BUG OUT OF THE EAR 

A bug in the ear is a very painful sensation. 
A lighted match held close to the ear will 
frequently cause the bug to come out. If con- 
venient, a candle is better, and an electric 
light is still better. Sweet oil poured in the 
ear is a good remedy. It is very healing to 
the wound that the bug is so apt to leave. 



MOLE TRAP 




Sink a half gallon 
jar into the ground, 
level with the ground. 
See cut 



114 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 

1 J 

HOME-MADE BROOM HOLDER 



Made out of number eight 
wire with a few staples. Easy 
to make and very durable. 



n 



^j> 



=h 



TO PREVENT CROWS EATING CORN 

Corn to be used for seed, if mixed in the 
proportion of four quarts of corn to one table- 
spoonful of coal tar, and then dried in ashes 
to prevent sticking to the hands when being 
planted, will not be troubled by birds or 
worms. 



PRESERVING A PAINT BRUSH 

Place your brushes in a 
can that is partly filled with 
water. Add one inch of kero- 
sene oil to prevent the evap- 
oration of water. 




115 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 

A GOOD PIPE STAND 

Pipes must be 
kept in an upright 
position to overcome 
the spilling of ashes. 
Make yourself a 
stand out of a small 
piece of sheet metal as shown in cut, thereby 
overcoming all criticisms from the "good little 
housewife." 




CLEANING CELLAR OF FLEAS 

When every- 
thing else fails, 
get some strong 
creosote and use 
as shown in cut, 
or place a pan 
partly filled with 
it after closing up 
all doors and win- 
dows. (Before 
doing this take the dog out of the cellar. 

116 




JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



HOME-MADE KEY 

One can make a very 
good key at home by 
flattening a 20-penny nail 
and filing it down as 
shown in cut. 




FILLING FOR PIN CUSHIONS 

Coarse coffee grounds, washed and thor- 
oughly dried, make an ideal filling for pin 
cushions. They do not absorb moisture, and 
pins and needles will not rust if stuck in such 
a cushion. 

AN ACCESSIBLE 
TELEPHONE 

A phone that can be 
used upstairs as well as 
down, thereby saving one 
many steps, can be made 
by installing • a small 
dumb-waiter as shown 
in cut. In this built-in 
box both phones are 

stationed, the cord attachment being midway 

between the two floors. 

117 




JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 

CEMENT POULTRY PAN 

Turn an old 
pie or cake pan 
upside down in 
a wooden box 
and after mix- 
ing your cement pour it over the pan and don't 
disturb until cement has set You will have 
a feeding pan that will wear for years. 




HOME-MADE FILTER 

Make out of an ordi- 
nary flower pot that is 
eight to ten inches in 
diameter at the top. Stop 
up the hole in the bottom 
of the pot with a sponge 
~ss*w- which must fit in tight. 

^™* First put in a layer of 

charcoal two and one-half inches deep, then a 
layer of clean sand and then a layer of coarse 
gravel three and one-half inches deep on top. 
Clean the filter from time to time, so as to keep 
it absolutely clean at all times. 

118 




JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 
ANOTHER FRUIT JAR OPENER 

c 




Take a small leather strap and screw same 
to an old broom handle, making strap the 
proper size to accommodate the cover. 



SUBSTANTIAL GATE 




V hPh r&z* b n t a fc fc B b u> u uii Hj III . 



Bend piece of old pipe into the shape of 
the letter N. Cover gate with wire netting 
and hang with wire hooks with staples fitted 
into the post. 

U9 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



HEATING WATER IN FURNACE PIPE 



Put an eight-inch coil in 
the smoke pipe and it will 
conserve the waste heat 
from your furnace. Easy 
to make and will pay for 
itself in short while. 




HANDLE FOR HOSE 




Take the handle off a 
lard tub or an old bucket 
and bend the wire around 
hose as shown in cut. 



120 



J O H N S O N'S FACT BOOK 

TRACE HOLDER 

Tack leather strap on 
tree as shown in cut. 





TO PREVENT BABY FROM 
OVERTURNING 
HIGH CHAIR 



Anchor chair by hanging a flat iron to 
lower rounds as shown in cut. 



121 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



DISPENSING PILLS 

One will often get out 
more pills than is needed. 
To overcome such trouble, 
cut a small notch the size^ 
of the pill in the box and by 
raising the cover a little only one pill will 
drop out. 




CLOD CRUSHER FOR GARDENERS 




Have your local 
blacksmith to flatten 
out an old worn-out 
shovel and rivet 16- 
penny nails into it, as 
shown in cut. 



122 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



Use a 

potato cut 



GREASING A GRIDDLE 

turnip 




or 
in half. 
You will find same 
better than grease, as 
there is no smoke. Re- 
member griddles need 
no greasing if a small amount of fat is put in 
the batter. 

CURE FOR RATTLESNAKE BITES 

Common coal or kerosene oil, such as is used 
in lamps, has been found a specific for rattle- 
snake bites. Put the oil in a small cup or large 
mouth bottle and press firmly against the bit- 
ten place. Renew the oil every few minutes. 




BOILING EGGS 

You will find boiled 
eggs can be removed 
from the shell more easily 
if a teaspoon of salt is 
added to the water while 
they are boiling. 



123 



JOHNSON'S FACT 



BOOK 



LIVE BAIT WHEN FISHING 

Bottle up a min- 
now in a small bottle, 
tying hooks at neck of 
bottle as shown in cut. 
Have cork of bottle 
notched so as to permit 
fresh water to enter 
at all times. 




FOR A CHOKING COW 

A cow that is choked with an apple or po- 
tato may sometimes be relieved by breaking 
a raw egg in her mouth, her head being ele- 
vated at the time. 

TO PREVENT VEGETABLES FROM 
BURNING 

An easy way to keep 
vegetables from burning 
or sticking to the bottom 
of a pot is to place a pie 
plate upside down in the 
pot, as shown in cut. 




124 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



TO HOLD UP A GATE 

Use an old worn C\ 
out wheel from a 
piece of machinery, 
or cut out a wheel i w^ 
from block of wood. s^JlXsu*. 

Place it at bottom of gate as shown in cut. 




TRANSPLANTING LARGE TREES 



^£ 




Make frame of four by fours and braced 
as shown in cut. Dig a small ditch around 
the tree, hitch horse to the rope and see how 
easily it comes up. 

125 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 




GOOD TOOTH HARROW 

Made out of a piece 
of old flat iron and 
bend as shown in cut. 
Cut six holes on each 
side and one in the 
center. Make teeth 
five inches long, sharpening one end. 

RIDDING STOCK OF WARTS 

Kerosene poured on the warts once a day 
will soon rid the animal of these ugly excres- 
cences. A bottle filled with kerosene, with a 
quill through the neck, will be found very 
handy for this purpose. 

ICELESS REFRIGERATOR 

Make frame and 
cover with fly screen; 
cover with burlap, 
leaving strips long 
enough to extend down 
in the pan which is 
filled with water. 
Never allow burlap 
to dry out 




126 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 

MILK STOOL AND PAIL HOLDER 

Nail your bucket on the j^§ 
front side of the stool which 
will overcome the trouble 
of holding the pail between 
one's legs. 




SEWING OVERCOAT BUTTONS 

If another button, of somewhat smaller size, 
is placed on the under side and the button that 
buttons is sewed to this, it will be found that 
they will not easily come off. 



GOOD BEEHIVE STAND 

Build frame as 
shown in cut and set 
posts in old tomato 
cans with lids cut 
out thereby prevent- 
ing ants and worms 
from getting into the hive. 

127 




JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



HOME-MADE DINNER GONG 

To make a good 
dinner gong all that is 
needed is an old har- 
row disk, a bolt and a 
spring. Bolt disk 
loosely to the cross 
arm. See cut. 




SURE CURE FOR WORMS IN HORSES 

Put one tablespoonful of linseed oil in a 
feed of meal every day for 5 days ; will expel 
all worms. 



CLEANING LEATHER FURNITURE 

y e/////';.. Beat up the whites 

of four eggs and rub 
furniture well with 
flannel rag. When 
polishing black leather 
add a little lamp black. 

128 




JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 
PLOWSHARE FOR ALFALFA 




It is hard to plow alfalfa sod on account of 
the heavy roots. If you will grind on your 
emery wheel the edge of the plow-share like 
in cut, you will have no trouble as the roots 
slip over the scallops and are cut off easily. 



only 
iback 



TO BREAK UP SETTING HENS 

Build a coop out 
of laths and hang it 
up so as to permit 
air to circle around 
under the old hen at 
all times, and it will 

be a matter of a few days when she is 

on the job. 

129 




JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



Made trom a 
piece of bar iron or 
any old piece of 
pipe, with teeth filed 
in as shown in cut. 



HOME-MADE WRENCH 

from 



\ ^assa* 




<£ 




HOW TO MAKE GOOD WHITEWASH 

Whitewash applied to 
the interior of barns and 
sheds will add greatly to 
the light in dark places. 
The United States 
government has prepared 
a standard formula which 
we give below: 
Slack one-half bushel of unslacked lime in 
boiling water, strain and add a peck of salt 
dissolved in warm water. Add also three 
pounds of ground rice boiled to a thin paste 
and one-half pound of Spanish whiting. Dis- 
solve one pound of clear glue in warm water 
and add. Mix the whole thoroughly and let 
stand for several days before using. When 
ready to apply, heat thoroughly and apply as 
hot as possible. 

MO 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 

EASY WAY TO SLICE BREAD 

Make trough out of 
hard wood. Cut or 
saw slots every one- 
half inch or even closer 
if smaller slices are 
desired. 




TO PREVENT LAMPS FROM SMOKING 

Soak the lamp wick in strong vinegar and 
dry thoroughly before using. It will then 
burn freely and give much satisfaction for 
the trouble taken. 



MAKE MEAT MORE TENDER 

The cheap cuts of 
meats can be made 
more tender by brush- 
ing them over with a 
solution of one table- 
spoon of vinegar and 
two tablespoonfuls of 
oil. Be sure and allow the meat to set for one- 
half hour before cooking. 

m 




JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



EASY WAY TO MAKE A HASP 

Use an old worn out strap 
hinge. Answers every pur- 
pose and saves you running 
to town to get one. 




KEEPING SPOOLS OF THREAD IN ORDER 

A very simple way of keeping the numer- 
ous spools of thread get-at-able, that so often 
litter the spool drawer of the sewing machine, 
is to fit into the bottom of the drawer a thin 
board, making of it a false bottom. Through 
this drive, at regular intervals, small round 
two-penny nails, on end of which a spool may 
be held in its stated place. 



TO REMOVE BUTTON FROM CHILD'S 
NOSTRIL 

Use a pinch of snuff, 
thereby causing violent 
sneezing, will extract any 
button from nostril if medi- 
cal assistance is not at hand. 



132 




JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



TO MEND BROKEN HOSE 

Cut the hose apart 
where it is defective; 
take a piece of iron pipe 
two or three inches long, 
twist the hose over it until the ends meet, wrap 
with strong string, well waxed, or light wire. 




FLIES AND ROACHES 

Flies and roaches may be run off the prem- 
ises by using a wash for the floors and ceil- 
ings of closets, made of a very strong solution 
of alum. Dissolve the alum in boiling water, 
using as much alum as the water will dissolve. 
With this solution wash the floor, ceiling and 
walls. 



TAKES THE PLACE OF WAGON RODS 

Use wornout horse- 
shoes on the end gate 
and at the top. Shoes 
hang over the top of the 
side planks. 
133 




JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 



TO PREVENT WINDOWS FROM RATTLING 

Bend a piece of sheet metal 
in the shape of a capital A 
and insert same between the 
sash and window frame. 




WHEN EGGS ARE ACCIDENTALLY 
BROKEN 

Place same in a glass or cup and cover with 
cold water which will prevent them from dry- 
ing, and you will find them as good as fresh 
when ready to use. 



TO 



LOOSEN A GLASS STOPPER 

The cord is given 
one turn or loop 
over the neck of the 
bottle and the cord 
drawn up snugly. 
The bottle is then 
drawn quickly back 
and forth to make 
the loop pass over 
the neck with quite 
a friction. 




134 



JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 
PRACTICAL PIGEON HOPPER 



a 



n 



Take some quart size buckets and cut the 
tops out as shown in cut. Tack the buckets 
on a one by six plank, having buckets ten 
inches apart. It will cut your feed bill, as 
they are unable to throw the feed out. 



VESSEL FOR WATERING CHICKENS 




Use an old tomato can, 
cutting the hole about one 
and a half inch from the 
bottom U-shaped. 



135 



JO H N S O N'S FACT BO O K 



TO HOLD GATE OPEN 

Use wornout umbrella rod 
and have staples loose by not 
driving them too far in the 
fence. 




-u 



HINTS FOR WASH DAY 

A handful of salt helps 
to set the colors of light 
cambrics and lawns. 

A little beef gall will 
brighten purple, yellow or 
any green tints. 

A little pipe clay well 
dissolved in water in w r hich linens are being 
washed will assist in cleansing the more soiled 
pieces, as well as giving them the appearance 
of having been bleached. 

The addition of a teaspoonful of paraffin 
will assist in removing stains. 

156 




JOHNSON'S FACT BOOK 
MOVING WAGON BED 




Rig up on a pole a contrivance like the cut 
shows. You will find that it will save your 
back when changing wagon beds. 




HOME-MADE 
CANDLESTICK 

Cut three slits in the 
bottom of an old tomato 
can and turn points up 
sufficiently to hold the 
candle in place. 



137 



T O Pi N S O N ' S 



F A C T 



BOOK 



TO CARRY SALT AND PEPPER 

Cut off a piece of bamboo, 
leaving joint in center. Use 
corks for stoppers. 




A GOOD LINIMENT FOR MAN OR BEAST 

Put in a quart bottle a pint of kerosene, add 
five cents worth of camphor gum and let stand 
over night, add one-half pint of sweet oil, 
shake well and it is ready for use. For burns, 
stiff neck and sore throat it has no equal. It 
is fine for raw sores on man or beast. Try this 
valuable liniment on your horse's shoulder 
when sore. 



CATCHING MINNOWS 

Hold under the 
water a wide mouth 
jar partly filled with 
broken shells. Have 
shells well cleaned 
as the white shining 




shells are more effective. 



138 



INDEX 



Aluminum — To clean 73 

Auger — A good stop for 42 

Automobile — To pull out of mud 29 

Automobile — To pull out of sand 65 

Automobiles — To remove tar irom 43 

Automobilists — Selling to 70 

Baby Chicks — Safe way to ship 114 

Bacon — To fry 95 

Bag — A feed 34 

Bag — A sleeping 55 

Bag — Home-made holder for a 4 

Bags — To repair hot water 14 

Bait — Live when fishing 124 

Barn Door — A good stop for 25 

Barometer — Home-made 88 

Barrel — A good swill 23 

Bath — A good shower 29 

Beater — Good carpet 44 

Bed — Handy pocket to hang on 61 

Beehive Stand 127 

Bees — Trapping 1 09 

Belting — Test leather 99 

Bin — Convenient coal 74 

Birds — To keep out garden 83 

Bites — For rattlesnake 123 

Boar — Castrating a large 31 

Board — A good chopping 68 

Board — A home-made ironing 36 

Boat — A home-made 35 

Boiled Water — Making it more palatable 91 

Bottle — To cut in half 90 

Bread — Easy way to slice 131 

Bread— To cut 89 

Bread Knife — An improved 59 

Bridle — To prevent slipping . . 109 

Brooder — Home-made 101 

Brooder — Home-made 107 

Broom — When selecting a 93 

Bucket — To get out of well 81 

Buckets — Mending paper 106 

Bug — To remove from ear * 114 

Burlap — Swing 6 

Butter — To keep cool 73 

Button — To remove from nostril 132 

Buttons — Sewing on overcoats 127 

Buttons — To keep on overalls 45 

Cake — To remove from pan 94 

Cake Pan — A glass bottom for 59 

Candlestick — A home-made 137 

Candlestick — Keeping clean 12 

Can Opener — Home-made 9 

Capsules — Taking 58 

Cattle — To hold when dehorning 93 

139 



Chair — A good kitchen . , «... 62 

Check — Easy way to protect 6 

Chest— Corners for 84 

Chickens — Growing green stuff for 67 

Chickens — To water 135 

Chimney — To cure a smoking 5 

Chimney — To use salt in building 20 

Chimneys — Prevent leaks from 42 

Chimneys — Tempering lamp 85 

Cleaner — Lamp chimney 82 

Clock — To keep clean 53 

Clothespin — How to make 91 

Coffee — In making 9 

Colic — A splendid remedy for horse 54 

Colic — Cure horse of 83 

Collar — Buttonhole for wornout 26 

Collars — To clean coat 69 

Cooking — Campfire 39 

Corks — To remove from bottle 41, 50, 54 

Cover — Noiseless slop jar 98 

Cow — For choking 124 

Cow — To drive 92 

Cradle — Home-made 97 

Cramps — To cure 75 

Crows — To prevent from eating corn 115 

Crusher — A clod 122 

Crutches — Home-made 15 

Curtains — To insert rod in 57 

Cushion — Handy pin 51 

Cushions — A good filling for 117 

Cutter — A home-made buttonhole 45 

Dents — Raising in wood 106 

Desk — Good typewriter ; . 43 

Dinner Gong 128 

Dishes — To prevent from breaking 43 

Dog — To break a dog of barking 4 

Door — A hinge to make close 33 

Door Stop — A good 30 

Doubletree — An improved 80 

Drawer — A secret 60 

Drawers — Good lock for 19 

Dropper — A good medicine 16 

Drowned Person — To raise the body of 28 

Eggs — Boiling 123 

Eggs — To prevent from sticking 72 

Eggs — When accidentally broken 134 

Electric Globe— Shade for 4S 

Fabrics — How to sew thin 13 

Feed — To prevent wasting of 100 

Fence — Building poultry 70 

Filter — Home-made * 18 

Fish — To attract at night 1 1 l 

Fish Hooks — Safe way to carry 40 

Fleas — Cleaning cellar of 116 

Flies and Roaches — To run off 133 

Food — Scorohed 71 

140 



Fount — A sanitary ** 

Fruit- -Picking small 1{ >' 

Fruit — Print jnonograms on ™ 

Fruit Jars — l esting 98 

Funnel — A paper 91 

Furnace Pipe — Heating water in 120 

Gate — On wheels 32 

Gate — Self-closing 21 

Gate— Substantial n 9 

Gate — To hold open 133 

Gate — To hold up 125 

Glass Stopper — To loosen 134 

Glasses — To separate 63 

Grazing — To graze stock 24 

Grease — To remove from floor 61 

Griddle — Greasing a 123 

Gun — Easy way to clean 48 

Gun — Easy way to clean 95 

Hammock — Home-made 64 

Handle— For hose 120 

Hanger — A skirt 3S 

Hanger — Good coat 104 

Harrow — A good 126 

Hasp — Home-made 132 

Hat — To keep clean 76 

Heat — To conserve • 71 

Hens — For neighbors 56 

High Chair — Prevent baby overturning 121 

Hogs — Easy way to load 25 

Hogs— Scalding 89 

Hogs — To make healthy 72 

Hogs — To expel worms 112 

Holder — A good trace 121 

Holder — A good broom 50 

Holder — Broom 115 

Hook — To pull straw out of stack 21 

Hopper — A good feed 69 

Hose — A holder 34 

Hose — To mend rubber 1 33 

Ice — To conserve 112 

Ink — Prevent from corroding 43 

Interfering — Cure horse from 82 

Jar — Fruit jar opener 5 

Kerosene Fire — To extinguish 74 

Kettle — To prevent from boiling over 113 

Key — Home-made 117 

Keys — Easy way to fit 66 

Kindling — Easy way to break 82 

Kni f e — Open pocket 1 00 

Ladder — A good roof Ill 

Lamp Chimneys — When buying 14 

Lamps — Prevent from smoking 131 

Leak — To repair in bucket 38 

Leather Furniture — To clean 128 

Leaves — To turn in book 112 

Level — A home-made 26 

141 



Lice— To kill 110 

Lifter — A lifter for vessels 49 

Light — Adjust drop ■...., 78 

Lightning — Prevent stock being killed 93 

Linen — Mildew on 56 

Linen — To hem new table 10 

Liniment — A good 138 

Lock — A good window 8 

Lock — A window 105 

Lock — Burglar proof 52 

Lock — To lubricate a 85 

Malaria — Plants that prevent 92 

Mattress — Strap on 14 

Measure — A home-made bushel 31 

Meat — To make tender 131 

Medicine — Bottle indicator for 59 

Milk — Good thing to know regarding 69 

Milk — To keep cool 73 

Milk Man — To hold ticket 113 

Milk Stool 127 

Minnows — How to catch 133 

Mold — To prevent in library 77 

Mold — To prevent in safe 92 

Mold — To remove mold and mildew from walls 12 

Mosquito Bites — For 41 

Mushrooms — Dangerous 68 

Nails — To drive hard timber 81 

Needle — Aid in threading 10 

Needles — Bending 76 

Needles — Threading a darning 78 

Nests — Cheap iien 16 

Netting — To stretch wire 17 

Neuralgia — To cure 83 

Nozzle — Home-made hose 44 

Nut Cracker — Home-made 99 

Oil — To pour out of a can 13 

Opener — A fruit jar 119 

Opener — A good bottle 47 

Paint — Remove grease from 50 

Paint — To make cheap 24 

Paint — To remove from wood 36 

Paint — To remove smell of 65 

Paint Brush — How to preserve 115 

Paint Spots — Take out 47 

Peanuts — To prevent scorching 76 

Peas— Cooking 103 

Pen — A good fountain 37 

Phonograph — Eliminate vibration on 87 

Pigeon Hopper 135 

Pigs — To keep sows from eating 22 

Pills— Dispensing 122 

Pipe — Easy way to clean 63 

Pipe — To mend with cement 80 

Pipe Stand It 6 

Plow — Home-made 94 

Plow Point — To keep out of the ground 19 

142 



Plowshares — Good one for alfalfa 129 

Poison — To Prevent taking of 11 

Pole — Tightening curtain 49 

Pop Corn — How to pop 1 03 

Post — Repairing fence 27 

Post Puller — Home-made 104 

Potato — A potato baker 37 

Pot Cover — To mend 5« 

Poultry Pan — A cement 118 

Powder — To make lice 79 

Punch — Good leather 22 

Punctures — Overcome tire 105 

Rack — A good tool 48 

Rack — Home-made book 64 

Rake — Home-made 39 

Rat — Good rat guard 96 

Refrigerator — Easy way to place drip pan 30 

Refrigerator — Iceless 126 

Rest — A good iron rest 55 

Rock — To remove 33 

Roofing — Better way to put on 66 

Room — Reflector for a dark 15 

Ruling Pen — A good 110 

Saddle — A home-made 88 

Salt and Pepper — To carry 138 

Salve — A household 93 

Sandwiches — Spreading butler on 19 

Saw — To make stand on end 86 

Saw Handle — A good one 110 

Scaler— Good fish 81 

Scissors or Needles — Picking up 108 

Scrape — A good shoe 17 

Scrape — A home-made shoe 30 

Screwdriver — A powerful 90 

Screws — Prevent from working out 97 

Screws — To prevent from working loose 18 

Sea Breeze — Imitation 40 

Seeds — Planting early 53 

Separator — Egg 103 

Settee — For lawn 53 

Setting Hens — To break up 129 

Sheep — To prevent jumping fences 113 

Shelf— A home-made 18 

Shoe — A good shoe cleaner 67 

Shoe — A good shoe polisher 66 

Shoes — To stretch 75 

Shoe Strings — To keep tied 93 

Shovel — A shoeguard for 68 

Sills — To protect from rot 42 

Silver — To take medicine stains off of 5 

Soap — A good soap shake 37 

Soles — For damp floors 58 

Spade — An improved 23 

Spark Plugs — Easy way to clean 108 

Soikes — Tool for pulling 7 

SpMnter — To remove from finger 51 

143 



Splinters — To remove from hand 72 

Spools — Home-made pockets for 60 

Spool Stopper — For glue bottle 18 

Spring — A good door 106 

Squeezer — A lemon 47 

Stamp — A home-made 57 

Stamps — Moistener 4*1 

Stand — Home-made flower 63 

Staples — Easy way to draw 94 

Steel — To clean rust on 28 

Stepping Stone — To make 84 

Stock — Easy way to drench 22 

Stopper — Prevent from sticking 89 

Straw Hat— Cleaning a 80 

Stringers — Easy way to lay off 7 

Stump Puller — A home-made 27 

Stump Puller — A home-made 32 

Swing — M ade out of chair 52 

Tack — A good tack puller 57 

Talking Machine — To soften the tone of 12 

Team — To make pull together 4 

Telephone — An accessible 117 

Telephone — To hear better over 11 

Thread — To keep in order 132 

Tips — Making shoe lace 74 

Tires — To keep tight 87 

Tomato — Folding arbor for 96 

Tomatoes — Fresh year 'round 52 

Towel— Home-made towel roller 10 

Trap — A good mouse 101 

Trap — A mole 114 

Trap — A mouse trap 109 

Trap — Home-made fly 13 

Trees — To protect 65 

Trees — Transplanting 125 

Trough — Home-made hog 24 

Umbrella — To mend an 9 

Vegetables — Prevent from burning 124 

Vise — A home-made 35 

Wagon Bed — To move 137 

Wagon Rods — Good substitute 133 

Wall Paper — To remove 102 

Warts — Ridding stock of 126 

Wash Day— Hints for 136 

Watermelon — Seedless 102 

Watermelon — To flavor 95 

Weight — For holding horses 85 

Well — Drawing water from 108 

White Lead— To test 78 

Whitewash — How to make 130 

Whitewash — To make stick 44 

Window — Anti-rattler for 62 

Window — Easy way to lower 54 

Windows — Prevent from rattling 134 

Worms — Expel from horses 128 

Wrench — Emergency pipe, etc .6, 8 

Wrench — Home-made . . . . v 130 

144 



Other Publications 

Mr. Thrift 

Mr. Thrift and Mr. Waste 

The Home of Your Dreams 

Say It With Flowers 

Auto Auguries 



THE OSBORNE COMPANY 
NEWARK, N. J. 

THE OSBORNE COMPANY LTD. 
TORONTO, ONTARIO 



S,? RY 0F CONGRESS 



030 005 148 ""J 



